


Dragon Hearted

by Bfly1225



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dragon! Zuko, Gen, Gin (OC) is a bean, He's the beloved first born tbh, I mean obvi, Past Child Abuse, Zuko (Avatar)-centric, Zuko finds a family, Zuko is adopted by the Yuyan Archers, all the oc's are good, but gin is a good boy, i guess
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-06-17
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:15:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24599629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bfly1225/pseuds/Bfly1225
Summary: Captain Mazao tried very, very hard not to get a headache. Because there was a malnourished kid with an oozing bandage on his face, and two of the archers in his squad were arguing over what to do with him, and it was late, and he just wanted to knock everybody’s collective heads together and make this Not Happen Anymore.AKAA battered, 13 year old Zuko sneaks into Pohuai Stonghold for food since the Fire Nation dumped him in the woods with no supplies or men. The Yuyan Archers are impressed and wind up raising him.Oh, also, the new kid can turn into a dragon, which is either super cool or super dangerous or super inconvenient depending on who you ask.
Relationships: Zuko & The Yuyan Archers, Zuko and responsible(?) adult role models
Comments: 137
Kudos: 1257
Collections: A:tla





	1. Arrival

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MuffinLance](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MuffinLance/gifts).



> Both the Zuko-Can-Shapeshift-Into-A-Dragon and the Zuko-Is-Raised-By-The-Yuyan-Archers ideas belong to muffinlance, o mighty creator of all AUs you never knew you really wanted. Most of the rest is a mixture of what we know in canon and the ABUNDANT amount of things I am making up.

Captain Mazao tried very, very hard not to get a headache. Because there was a malnourished kid with an oozing bandage on his face, and two of the archers in his squad were arguing over what to do with him, and it was late, and he just wanted to knock everybody’s collective heads together and make this Not Happen Anymore. 

He snapped to get their attention. _What the fuck is happening?_ He asked them, snapping his signs in sharp, precise movements. 

_The kid sneaked in. He’s been stealing food. Not sure if he’s been here before._ Reported one archer- Kahui? Must be. 

_He’s badly hurt. Could use a little help._ The other added. Gin. Of course. 

He watched the kid continue to pull at his sleeve, and then go very limp. Like, worryingly. But he was scowling, under that gross bandage, so. . . probably not dead. 

_And it’s the middle of the night, and what are we going to do?_ Asked Mazao. 

_Kill him or arrest him._ Kahui suggested, her face blank. 

_He’s gotta only be ten, and it’s super impressive that he even got in here, we should feed him and kick him out again or something like that._ Gin insisted. 

And Mazao was caught between extremes. Great. Super cool. 

Agni, he wished he’d never enlisted. 

_Stay here. Watch the kid. I’m getting writing supplies because I’m sure he doesn’t know sign._ Mazao signed, and got two affirming nods. 

~~~

And when Mazao was back, he wished he could have said he was surprised to see the two sat next to the kid while he ate from a bowl of fruit like it was the first thing he’d eaten in weeks. 

Mazao supposed that it probably was. 

The kid was tense, too. Probably frightened as hell, if he was any normal- well, he snuck into a top security military base, so maybe he WASN’T a normal kid. 

Mazao began writing, hastened scribbles that weren’t super legible. He was glad that he didn’t have to do too many records, because his scrawls had never been amazingly easy to read. 

_Who are you, and how did you get into the stronghold?_ He’d written, and tried to ignore the implied-but-not-signed mockery he was receiving from Gin and Kahui. 

The boy looked between and moon peach he had in his hand and the paper. 

_What, can’t he read?_ Signed Kahui. 

_He’s half wild anyways, let him be._ Gin retorted. The kid pointed to the charcoal, and Mazao gave it over. Strange that he wouldn’t talk, but the kid probably thought it was weird that they didn’t talk either. 

_I’m Zuko. I hid on a cart. Are you the Yuyan Archers?_ He held the peach carefully in one hand as he carefully wrote. 

The surprise on Kahui and Gin’s faces were very not intimidating of them. 

_Yes. What are you doing here?_

_I was starving. I swear, I only wanted some bread and maybe some clothes and I was going to leave._ The boy pushed the pad away to Mazao, and tried very hard not to make eye contact. 

Well. . . shit. 

_Have you had anybody look at that wound?_ He asked. Medical attention first, then moral decisions later. 

_Kind of._

_What does that mean?_

_I think it’s infected._

_And you haven’t gotten it checked out because. . . ?_

_I’m sorry._

_Sorry for what?_

_I don’t know, I’m just sorry._

Agni, burn it all. Okay. 

_Follow. We’re taking you to the doctor._ Zuko nodded, and Mazao took the lead. 

“It is the middle of the ni-” Doctor Giiyan began, opening the door after Mazao’s insistent and rapid knocks. His eyes landed on Zuko, and then drifted back up to Mazao. 

_I can explain later. He needs to be looked at._

Mazao could never thank Giiyan’s dislike of trying to parse out the Archers' bullshit more. 

“He’s a real catch,” Giiyan blithely stated as he lit the exam room’s lanterns with a long match. “Seriously, I never thought you idiots would find a hurt stray that you didn’t have to bring to Maho.” 

Zuko stared at the ground as he sat on the table, hands shoved under his legs. 

_Be fair. Only Gin and Jorang do that._ Kahui objected. 

“No, it’s in the other squads too, and I’ve seen you try to pet all sort of things you shouldn’t.” 

Both of the Archers shifted awkwardly. 

“Alright. I’m going to undo your bandage, kid.” The doctor reached over to undo the bandage, and the kid cringed way back and then there was light. Mazao’s first thought was that a lantern blew up, but- 

“What the fuck?!” The doctor squawked out, and there was all sorts of hissing coming from the corner, and some scratching sounds, and when Mazao opened his eyes- 

_Holy shit a DRAGON!_ Gin’s shaky signs probably meant. It was just “fly” and “snake” over and over again, so. . . context. 

There was a small dragon clinging to the wall in the corner, hissing at them. 

It was smaller than the kid had been. And it was small- for a dragon. It hardly even had nubs for horns. It had four, short legs, which ended in talons, which were embedded in the walls at the moment, and HOW WERE THEY GOING TO EXPLAIN THAT LATER??? 

“Great! Great! Cool! This is my life. I get woken up by crazy vow-of-silence archers who’ve somehow gotten their hands on a kid who can _turn into a dragon._ Great!” Giiyan laughed in a slightly unhinged way. 

Kehui had her bow drawn and aimed right at the. . . Zuko? Dragon? Draguko? Which Mazao understood, but he snapped his fingers and gestured for her to not shoot. 

_Super endangered. Dragons are extinct, we can't kill it._ He explained. She slung her back over her shoulder. 

_So you’re going to explain this to Shinu, then, sir?_ She signed, people a not-so-favoring twist on “sir”. 

Mazao paused. _I’m hoping this will explain itself._

_Nothing has to explain itself if it’s dead and Giiyan certainly won’t say shit. We’ll just say Gin was dreaming._

_You’re. . . technically correct._ Mazao was very very uncomfortable with the idea of killing a kid. 

_Fly snake!_ Gin signed again, far more clearly, and neither Kahui or Mazao could stop him before he walked over to the corner, digging around his shirt and producing a strip of cured meat. 

Seriously, Mazao needed to talk to him about the snack-pockets in his uniforms and pajamas. 

Gin walked over, slowly as he approached the Tantrum Corner, holding out the cured meat. 

The hissing stopped, and the small dragon got very still, slitted pupils trained on the cured meat. It stared for a long moment, then leaned forward very slowly, taking the strip between very sharp teeth and retreating quickly as far flush to the wall as possible, fearing retaliation. Gin gave two happy thumbs up, with an encouraging grin and slowly reached out a hand, palm-up. 

_Leave it to Gin to tame a dragon with snacks._ Kahui snarked as the dragon-kid crawled out of his corner, down Gin’s arm, and around his shoulder, like an especially dangerous scarf. 

_All problems can be solved with food._ Gin claimed, as the dragon-kid was nudging at the neckline of his shirt, then pressing his nose to the place where, Mazao assumed, there were more snacks hiding under the clothes. Gin’s offended noise was almost worth it as the dragon tried to steal his food. 

_Yeah, I think you just made yourself a problem._ Kahui was smiling in that way that she was when she’d gotten people to do something REALLY stupid on a dare 

_We haven’t solved another, there is a dragon in the exam room who’s like, half dead!_ Mazao reminded them. _And who are we supposed to get him to be normal?_

 _I think he’s cute,_ Gin supplied in as little movement as he could. 

_He’s going to grow into a massive, city-sized fire breather that might burn down the Fire Nation for hunting all of its kind of sport!_ Kahui signed furiously. 

_You don’t know that. If we raise him, he’ll be a good boy and not do that!_

_He’s also a human kid, guys._

_Captain, you don’t know that-_

“Hey idiots, any bright ideas on getting him to let me treat him, or are we just going to let him eat Gin’s food as a dragon in mortal danger for the rest of the time he has left?” 

_What?_ Gin managed to sign. 

“Kahui said it herself, he’ll be hunted for sport if he’s discovered.” 

_I didn’t say that,_ Kahui did the hand language version of mumbling, doing small and quick signs. 

“So we need to calm him down so I can change that damn bandage, and maybe get him some proper food.” Giiyan finished. 

_He’s calm, though._ Gin signed. 

“Yes, ok, so how do we get him to change back?”

The dragon stopped trying to eat Gin’s shirt for not surrendering the cured meats and looked at the doctor. He scrambled down Gin’s arm and back to the exam table, curling himself up and looking up at the Giiyan expectantly. 

“I’m not a vet, kid.” 

The dragon ducked his head, and with another flash of light, there was a kid sitting on the table. 

“Sorry,” came the hoarse whisper. 

_So he can talk,_ Kahui signed, and got bumped on the arm for it. 

“Wasn’t your fault, kid, I must have spooked you.” Giiyan held out his hands, palms up. “Is it okay if I try to take off your bandage, now?” 

The boy nodded, and everyone decided they’d rather go outside for that part. 

~~~

“So I’m. . . not in trouble?” Zuko spoke softly, to the man that was much taller than him. Commander Yi, he’d introduced himself. He’d fallen asleep in the exam room, food in his stomach and transforming making him sleepy. He’d woken up surrounded by blankets on the floor, and fetched by Doctor Giiyan to wash up before meeting with the Commander, who was a very tall man, and Zuko was definitely intimidated. 

“No. We were impressed.” The man shook his head, and Zuko nibbled on a piece of bread he’d been given, suspiciously. He still wasn’t sure if this man knew about his dragon-ness. This made him an unknown variable. “Did you ever plan on enlisting, Zuko?”

“. . . I’m not a good firebender.” Zuko muttered, squirming. He hadn’t really ever thought about his future all that much Before. 

“Well, you know we have other units that aren’t firebenders. The Yuyan Archers aren’t trained in firebending at all.” Yi pointed out. 

“I’m not cool enough to be an Archer,” Zuko mumbled bitterly. 

“Well that’s what training is for.” 

“. . . Huh?” 

“Kid, you broke into a stronghold and snuck past every guard and you only got caught because the Archers were trying to sneak midnight snacks, which they REALLY weren’t supposed to be doing. You’re obviously already good at sleath, which is a large part of the criteria we use to measure up recruits for the Archers. That would be an extraordinary feat for an 18 year old we scooped out of the Forces, and you’re- how old are you?” 

“13.” He replied, after a moment of thought. “Sir.” 

“Thirteen. So, not enlisting age.” Yi hummed, and linked his fingers together on the dark-stained wood of his desk. “Where’s your family, Zuko?” 

“. . . I dunno.” 

“Right. And you’re not really staying anywhere right now?” 

“. . . No, sir.” 

“Which is to say, that if you could, say, do some work around somewhere, you could maybe get food and a place to stay for a while?” 

“Probably, sir.” What was this man even talking about?? 

“Would you like to cut a deal, Zuko?”

“Does. . . it mean I get more bread?” 

Yi laughed. Zuko hadn’t been joking. 

“Captain Mazao.” Yi was striding in front of Zuko, and the whole group of Yuyan Archers stood to attention. There was. . . Six? Yeah. There were none hiding anywhere that he could see. They'd come down to the mess hall, where groups of regular soldiers and Yuyan Archers all ate together. Zuko was looking around, taking in all the cheap furniture and pretty much bare walls, while a seemingly one-sided conversation went on between the Captain and the Commander. 

“Since your squad found Zuko, and you guys have an extra bed in your dorm, Zuko will be staying with you. He’s going to stay with us and do chores around the based until he’s enlisting age, and then he’s going to join the Anan squad as a trainee. He’s shown great aptitude, and I expect you to teach him sign language and have him be fully fluent before then.”

There was silence for a moment, then Yi nodded. “Right. As long as it doesn’t interfere with his jobs, or anybody else’s, he can do as he wishes.” 

Zuko perked up at that, a smile on his face. Spare time and food and a place to sleep! And he wouldn’t have to deal with the winter, because he knew that was showing up at. . . some point. He’d never really experienced an Earth Kingdom winter, and he’d not been looking forward to doing it in the woods. 

“And I had better not hear about trouble your squad is causing in the next three months or I swear to Agni, there will be consequences.” Yi finished. The Captain- Mazao, the writing-pad guy from last night- finally relaxed as he left, leaving Zuko standing awkwardly in front of a whole table of people that could do crazy ninja bow skills and that also he couldn’t talk to well because none of them spoke out loud and he didn’t know their super-cool hands thing, which was Not Fair. 

Everyone settled down, except one of the Archers he thought looked familiar, who dashed off and stole a chair from the normal soldiers, putting it next to his(?) empty chair. He(?) pointed to Zuko, and then at the chair as he(?) settled back into his(?) seat. 

Zuko got the message and walked over to the chair, sitting in it and feeling rather short. Up closer inspection, this person was DEFINITELY the person that had the snacks last night. He stared up at them, squinting. They grinned and waved excitedly, and then turned and signed something to the others, and then put his hands up like he was presenting. Zuko shyly waved. 

It felt wrong to speak around people that didn’t do that, so he decided not to. 

~~~

_This is Zuko! The dragon kid from last night!_ Gin presented to the squad, holding his hands out towards Zuko and wiggling his fingers, presenting his new lil’ buddy. 

Money changed hands- Maia passed a handful of coins to Jorang, who make a small fist pump and counted the coins.

 _Didn’t think there’d really be a kid,_ Maia signed bitterly. 

_What, am I a liar now? Little buddy is super real, and super cool, so there._

_He’s a thirteen year old,_ Asang signed, face fully neutral and brown hair falling around and sticking to their face. 

They weren’t a morning person. 

_Yeah, a thirteen year out that can breathe fire._ Kahui signed. _Great combo._

_A firebender?_

_No, I told you, he’s a dragon! Kahui saw it too!_

_Oh yeah, like they’ll believe me._

_Can somebody please go get the kid food? And maybe try to, you know, do contact?_ Mazoa signed. 

_Oh! I’m on it!_ Gin popped up again, and Zuko looked at him leaving like it was the Worst Possible Thing that could have happened. He tussled with Chef Zara but, as soon she saw that the kid was real and tossed a coin to a linecook, served up a bowl of noodles and some rice for the kid, and Gin was back as soon as he could be. 

_Z- U- K- O-- oh this is useless, the kid won’t open his mouth to talk._ Maia tossed her hands up, and Zuko cringed a little bit. Gin sat the food in front of Zuko with utensils grabbed from the table, and pointed at the whole thing, then did the sign for food or meal. 

“Food?” Zuko asked, hesitantly with a tiny voice and jerkily imitating the sign. Gin nodded vigorously, smiling. He proceeded to show Zuko the signs for all the pieces- the cup of water he’d gotten him, the rice, the noodles, the bowl, the chopsticks, the noodles- and then his own name- right hand stands at the left side of the face over the mouth and then move to the left, moving into the sign for G. 

_Guys, can I teach him all your names?_ Gin asked, and then taught Zuko those too. 

Zuko imitated, and smiled when he got them right. Gin made tiny clasp, and Zuko ate his food with a small smile. 

_Didn’t know you were good with kids, Gin._ Mazao signed. 

_I’m good with everything, Cap._ He proclaimed, exaggerating his signs to illustrate a Grandiose Bragging Tone. Asung snorted, the closest any of them usually got to the spoken word. 

If one got used to speaking, one might speak out loud during a mission and compromise everything. It’s better to be very fluent in sign language and keep those skills sharp by communicating that way all the time. 

Also, it was a lot more fun to speak a language that only Pohuai Stronghold residents understood because one could talk RELENTLESS trash. 

Zuko tugged on Gin’s sleeve, and jerkily signed 

_Noodles, good._

Gin clapped happily, and Jorang imitated. Asung rolled their eyes. Mazao, at least, gave a thumbs up. 

_I wanna keep him!_ Gin signed hastily. 

_I mean, it’s not like we have a choice, Gin._

~~~

The smile-point sign guy (The One With The Snacks) became Zuko’s closest ally. He’d taught him a lot of signs, including all the signs for all the other people. He didn’t remember them all, but he could recognize them all. After spending some time during breakfast, he could place everybody. The captain, Mazao, was the only one whose name he actually knew. 

But there was the person whose sign was a kind-of-closed fist going down from the crown of the head, who looked perpetually bored or tired, and the only one with brown hair as opposed to black. They always looked at everyone with this look that reminded Zuko of a pygmy puma whose owner was making too much noise. 

And the very smiley woman. She looked like she had the longest hair and the pointiest face- her cheekbones and nose, namely- Zuko couldn’t really remember her sign, but she was easily identified, and had been the one who was silent-laughing the most. 

There was a quiet, younger- looking girl that didn’t sign a lot. Her sign was a closed fist with a thumb peeking out two knuckles down in a page-turning motion. He didn’t know what to think of her. 

The other of the Not Captain Archers was the Lady That Glared A Lot. At everyone. Zuko had purposefully forgotten her sign, because she was Mean and he felt like she was saying mean things about him constantly. 

But it was okay, because the tired brown haired one was the one who he had a bunk near, and that was super ok because they didn’t bother anyone. His bunk was the sixth in the long room, between Tired Brown Hair and the wall. Across the room was Smiley Snack Guy, who Zuko was SUPER cool with being near, because he was nice and actually friendly and not Fake Friendly like Azula was Before. 

And he was given three sets of rough clothes, ones that kept the cold out and were about his size. He didn’t get a Yuyan uniform since he wasn’t really trained, but that was ok with him. He was going to use one as pajamas, he decided. He’s also got a rough blanket and sheets on his bed, and a halfway-decent pillow that kinda wasn’t great but. . . better than he’d had in a few months. 

Until Smiley Snack Guy dumped another set of much nicer (read: softer) on the end of his bed. And Laugh-y Girl, who tossed a nice blanket his way. And Tired Brown Hair tossed a good pillow over and wouldn’t take it back. 

And suddenly Zuko was _not_ going to the washroom to cry, he was going to freshen up before bed. And nobody asked, so that was okay.


	2. Second Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last time: 
> 
> Zuko goes to the washroom to Not Cry
> 
> This time: 
> 
> Zuko tried to go to sleep.

Zuko hid under his covers that night. He couldn’t even sleep- there were too many people, and the walls were pushing in on him, and the next thing he knew, he’s shapeshifted, which he felt like he only did when he’s very upset. 

The first thing Draguko noticed was that it was cold in the bunk. The blanket was. . . nice. It was alright. But it wasn’t nearly warm enough. So he slithered out of his bunk, claws scrambling on the floor quietly as he crossed the room to Snacks Guy. He wasn’t hungry, but that was ok. 

Snacks Guy slept sprawled out, mouth often, covers in a twist all around him. It wasn’t a good body-heat-conserving way of sleeping. And Draguko knew he wasn’t that warm. So he moved on. 

The bed next to Snacks Guy was occupied by the angry woman who’d shot at him. Draguko decided that wasn’t worth it. 

But the bed that Draguko had started next to. . . 

The brown-haired tired person was sleeping heavily. And better yet, they slept with their covers covering them. And even better than _that_ , they threw off body heat like there was no tomorrow. 

Bingo.

He nosed around, and found just the right spot to wiggle under, into the Warmth Zone. He scooted up and curled up near this person’s stomach, and let out a long breath of contentment. 

~~~

Hmm. 

Now, Asung had awoken to a lot of weird stuff in their days. But uh. . . there was a dragon under their covers. Asleep. And very cozy, apparently. 

They’d never really liked scaled things, but this scaled thing was emanating pure warmth. It felt like sunshine. 

And it also felt like problems, because Asung really needed to get up, or they were probably going to pass back out and miss practice entirely. 

Gin bounced over and poked Asung repeatedly in the shoulder. They signed an angry _Stop,_ and Gin did, but walked around to where they could see. 

_Wake up Asung!_ He smiled, with an irritating smile. 

This happened a lot. Gin could wake up with the sun and was on Wake Up The Late Risers duty. And as much as Asung hated it, they hated punishment detail more. 

_I’m awake. Can’t get up._

_Why?_

_............... fire snake,_ They signed, their solution for the lack of current sign for _mother fucking dragon_.

 _What???_

Asung peeled back the blanket, showing Gin, whose mouth flew open. 

_Not fair!_

_What??_

_Why didn’t he cuddle with me?_ Gin was pouting. Asung gently replaced the covers. 

_Good question. I wish he had._ Asung replied. But not really, because this was really really cute. Even if it was making them late for their first cup of coffee. The tried to inch away slowly, but felt a small claw reach out and grab their shirt. They threw their head back and scrunched up their face. This was pathetic. They were one of the most badass warriors in the Fire Nation and they were trapped in bed because of the _world’s tiniest dragon_.

 _What’s wrong with Asang?_ Kahui asked, a towel draped around her neck that she’d been using to dry off her face.

 _Z-U-K-O got underneath their blanket and is still asleep so they’re trying to get out without waking him up._ Gin explained, grinning again. 

_Not funny._ Asang signed as Kahui started smiling. 

_I’d had to disagree._ Kahui was being _smug._

~~~

Draguko was stirred by the Warmth Maker moving. And picking him up? He was being draped around a neck. 

He adjusted himself sleepily, eyes still mostly closed. He was cozy enough. It was no blanket-and-sleeping-human situation, but he was warm, and he could smell food, so it wasn’t all that bad. 

~~~

_I can’t believe he’s just. Still sleeping._ Gin signed. 

_Lucky bastard._ Asang signed. 

_The doc’s gonna come get him at some point. He needs to be checked on._ Gin soothed. 

But he was super jealous. 

They were walking to breakfast now, and Gin had managed to tie his hair up (well, half-up-half-down) before getting distracted by Asang and Zuko, but Asang’s brown hair was draped half over the sleeping dragon and half pinned to their neck by said dragon. Gin didn’t know why Zuko was so attached to Asang. Asang didn’t even like Zuko that much! 

Well, they _had_ donated a good pillow to Zuko. Which was a lot, because Asang would have to buy another Good Pillow because they usually slept with two. Which was a lot. 

(C’mon guys please! _Gin had pleaded._ You know how much base handouts suck!

Then he should work and get money like we did, _Kahui retorted, brushing through her hair one more time with a comb._

But he’s going to be working for his spot, he CAN’T do what we did! It’s super different. _Gin couldn’t whine in sign language, but he knew everyone felt it._ Jorang went into the chest at the end of her bed and grabbed some blankets that she’d cycled out from her bed. She dumped them on the end of Zuko’s bed. You owe me a blanket, though! _She smiled at Gin, and walked out to go to the washroom and wash her face._ )

But Gin had been Zuko’s buddy! His advocate! He taught him the noodle sign! That should have been sacred! 

They entered the mess hall, and a large handful of regular soldiers began staring. 

Oh yeah. Zuko was a dragon. That wasn’t like, old new to _everybody_. 

But the Yuyan archers began laughing, silent breaths of air and shaking shoulders. Even Captain Mazao! Asang sent a rude gesture to them, but they didn’t stop, and they sat down. 

_Gin, you’re getting my breakfast for me._ They informed him. 

_why me????_

_Your fire snake. Your fault._

_First of all, he’s a FLY snake, and second of all, he’s his own fly snake!_ Gin snapped. 

_Whatever. Still your fault. Get me food. And a coffee._

Gin hated when he had to get the food. Chef Zara was always so cynical. 

“Is that a dragon. On Asung’s shoulders.” Zara asked, staring past him. 

_Yeah._ Gin sullenly confirmed. 

“. . . Where did they get it?

 _Kid from yesterday._

“That kid had a dragon???” 

_He is the dragon._

“I- you know what? Whatever.” 

_I’m supposed to get Asung and the kid’s food for today._

Thankfully, Zara was already too done with the Archer’s bullshit that she just handed over the three trays. 

~~~

Draguko wasn’t still asleep. But he was still enjoying the warmth of the Warm Maker, so he hadn’t moved yet. There was no need. He was warm! What else could a dragon want? 

. . . Other than food, which he could smell. Was the Snacks Provider nearby? He entertained the idea of opening his eyes but. . . hmm, warm. 

Something was poked at his mouth, and Draguko opened his mouth and gently wrapped his teeth around it.

It was food! Perfect. He got to be warm and safe and fed without even opening his eyes. 

“Why is my patient being hand fed and also a dragon?” A voice asked. The Warm Maker was moving. 

Draguko slowly opened his mouth and “bit” (read: put his front couple of teeth on) the Warm Maker’s should to make them stop. They were moving and making it less cozy. 

“I don’t care if he’s comfortable, I need to run my checkup on the _human_ version of Zuko. I don’t know if you remember, but he was malnourished and has a large wound on his head. He also is supposed to report to the hawkery to start working today.” 

Draguko cracked an eye and lazily rolled it to find the doctor, who he hissed lazily at. 

He didn’t want to be checked on. He was just fine, and in the middle of being fed. 

“Come on, Zuko.” Giiyan made a motion that probably implied that he should follow. Draguko huffed in return and watched Giiyan walk halfway across the mess hall with no Zuko behind him. 

He was a dragon, and he bowed to no doctor! 

And when Giiyan got back, that was about the time he tried to grab Zuko’s midsection and try to pull him from the Warm Maker’s shoulders. 

He dug his claws in, beat his tiny wings aggressively, smacking an arm and also the Warm Maker’s head, and spit sparks. 

The Warm Maker yelped, and began trying to disentangle his claws, but was having little success. 

Draguko, feeling bad, released his claws and went totally limp in the doctor’s hands, which were still wrapped around his middle. So now he was like a very noble noodle, held by disrespectful chopsticks that were bringing him to a stupid exam room. 

Draguko spit a defeated spark, and let himself be carried to the exam room. 

~~~

 _So why was Z-U-K-O attached to you?_ Jorang asked, already about halfway done with her breakfast. 

_No clue._ Asang was very busy eating, actually, and they didn’t feel like answering. Also those tiny talons were sharp, so they were a little grumpy about that. 

_It’s not even fair._ Gin signed, and was also ignored by most of the table

 _Are we adopting the danger noodle?_ Maia asked, as if she didn’t just liken a dragon to a noodle. 

The answers varied greatly around the table. 

~~~

Zuko was good and transformed back and didn’t fight Doctor Giiyan, so he was sent to the hawkery early. 

And he didn’t mind at first. He liked animals, so he’d be ok.

But the hawker was _scary_. Her name was Maho, and she scared Zuko more than anything in the world. 

First of all, she was tall. And second of all, when she smiled, it wasn’t even really a smile. It was like she was trying to make herself be nice to Zuko, and Azula used to do that, so Zuko didn’t trust her at _all_. And third of all, he watched her chastise a guy for handing a bird wrong, and he was terrified of messing up now because she scared him a _lot_.

She was quiet, and usually that would be cool, but she seethed. And then she would smile. And Zuko hated that, a lot. 

“Hey, you’re Zuko, right?” She asked, kneeling down. “Yi said you’d be my helper from now on.” 

Her hair was really long, he noticed. She had it tied up, but there was a LOT of it. 

The dragon part of him wondered how much heat she gave off. She might be a better Warm Maker than the brown haired archer from last night. 

The boy part of him shook that off because that would be dumb, she probably slept super far away anyways, and she was scary. 

The second thing he noticed was that there were _so many messenger hawks here_. And he got very excited. And sort of forgot to answer her, because he was bouncing at the sight of them all tucked into their cubbies or sitting on perches or flitting around. 

“. . . I’ll take that as a yes, then.” She folded her arms and stood up. He snapped back to attention and nodded quickly. 

“. . .Do you talk, kid?” 

“. . . Yeah.” He mumbled. “I’m supposed to be learning the Yuyan hand language, though.” 

“Oh, fuck that. You can talk around me, kid. I won’t snitch.” She snorted. 

“Good, cause I don’t even know the actual names of anyone, and-” 

“You don’t even know their name signs??”

“Well, yeah, but I don’t know their names.” 

“Oh. I can tell you. What squad are you with?” 

“Commander Yi has me with the Aran squad right now.” 

Maho’s face set so hard that he was concerned about her jaw and also what he said for a moment. 

“That tracks. They find you?” 

“Yeah.” He shuffled his feet. She rolled her eyes. 

“Ok, listen up. This one,” she signed the Smile Snacks Guy’s sign, “Is Gin. The one whos sign looks like their falling asleep is Asang,” She made the Warm Maker’s sign. “The super smiley girl,” she did the sign that Zuko had forgotten for sharp-cheekbones-girl, “that’s Jorang. The girl whose sign is all page-turney is Maia, the angry one is Kahui, and the Captain is Mazao,” She demonstrated all the signs in rapid succession. 

“You’re familiar with them?” Zuko asked, glad to have learned all the names. 

“Oh, yeah. They bring me stray animals all the goddamn time. It was about time that one of these times they’d bring is some little kid.” 

“I’m not a little kid! I’m almost a teenager!” He insisted, and she chuckled. 

He decided he was less afraid of her and decided to just not like her instead. 

His job that day was mostly just getting acquainted with where everything was, and making friends with some of the hawks themselves. It was his personal mission to befriend all of the hawks and be adopted at one of their own, because hawks were _cool_. He refused to tell Maho this. 

But yeah. Hawks were cool, and he was going to be adopted by the hawks, and it was gonna be super-awesome-cool. 

He shyly poked into the mess hall after Maho had sent him away, now that it was dinner time. He didn’t want to enter- there were so many people! 

He jumped as there was a snapping behind him. 

It was Jorang, the smiley pointy-cheekbones archer. She waved hi, and then signed food, looking inquisitive. He slowly nodded. She smiled, walked past him into the mess hall, and held out a hand. 

He hesitated, but took it, and she led him up to the bar where everybody had been getting food. She signed with the lady that was serving food for a moment, the woman glanced at zuko, then back at Jorang. She began fixing two trays of food. 

“So you’re the resident dragon?” The lady asked. 

“. . . yes.” He said, very quietly. Why was she talking to him? Was he in Trouble?

“Well. . . welcome to Pohuai.” She said, as she handed him his food. “And I’m Zara.” 

He nodded jerkily, and followed Jorang back to the archer’s table. 

At least he had food. 

When he sat down, it was next to Gin, and near Asang, who glanced, at the kid, then back and their food, and then back to him again. 

Gin had a piece of paper. He tapped Zuko on the shoulder and pointed at it. It was a sheet of characters, all decently spaced out. Gin pointed to the characters that made up Zuko’s name and then slowly signed them. Zuko stared at the sheet, then at gin, then at the sheet. 

OH! Oh, that was his _name_! Ok. 

He parroted it back, and pointed at himself, inquisitively. Gin nodded quickly, grinning. Zuko signed his name again, and then again. He felt confident he’d remember now. 

The meal went by, Zuko eating and trying to learn the character signs, which meant he could talk to Gin much easier, and be taught much easier. 

So, all around, a better time. 

Because now he could make out when people were mentioning him, which they so happened to do every so often, and he could witheringly glare at whoever mentioned him. He didn’t want to even be witnessed, and being mentioned was dumb. 

~~~

_Guys, guys, guys, everyone stop signing for a second._ Kahui shushed everyone. _Watch this, She grinned. _Z-U-K-O,_ She signed out, a little slower than she usually would. _

_Zuko turned a withering glare on her, and she signed,_

__See? Fucking hilarious!_ _

__Oh my god, you’re right!_ Maia added. She spelled out Zuko’s name, and he did the same to her. _

_They took turns doing this at different times and speeds. Every time, laughter was carefully hidden so Zuko wouldn’t catch on._

_~~~_

_Asang was late to the dorm that night. They had been caught by one of their firebender army friends, and they’d been chatting, and then Asang had really needed to wash their hair after some asshole from a different squad got mud in it during training, and- well, they were just late. And it wasn’t usually a big deal. It wasn’t like there was a big deal made about lights out anyways._

_But they were super tired, and they needed their sleep or they would just _die_ , so they collapsed into their bed after ditching their bow and quiver on the trunk at the foot of their bed. _

_. . . And then their fucking pillow moved._

_They shot up, instinctively going for their bow, when a dragon wigglewormed it way out from under the pillow, huffing steam and making vaguely affronted noises._

__You scare me,_ they signed, even though they knew he couldn’t understand. _Why are you obsessed with me?? Go away! I don’t like kids!_ They ranted, and then picked Zuko up and deposited him in his own bed. _

__S-T-A-Y,_ they ordered, slowly and clearly signing the characters, and then went to their own bed. _

_Their only warning that they were being disobeyed was the skittering of dragon claws on the floor._

_He crawled up and sat on their shoulder, making really sad noises. They refused to give in, tucking the covers in under them like a defensive armor. They didn’t want to be cuddled with! Get away, stupid little 13-year-old dragon! But he sat there, in the dark, and whined at them._

_They. . . supposed. . . that they could give the kid a spot. They untucked the blanket, and held the blanket up._

_Zuko dashed underneath and curled up, making himself comfortable. He began rumbling vaguely._

_Did. . . Did dragons _purr_??_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HHHHGHGHH It only took me a million years to update with this chapter, lmao!


End file.
